Pictured: A behind-the-scenes photo of the Florida Maritime Museum crew, taken after they just finished testing out their new face painting supplies. Photo courtesy of FMM.

The Florida Maritime Museum (FMM) invites you to get in the holiday spirit with their second annual Christmas in Cortez festival! This free family-friendly event will be held on Saturday, December 10th, from 1 pm until 4 pm.

On the grounds, festival-goers can enjoy bounce houses, face-painting, and a funhouse maze big enough for the whole family! Additionally, this year’s festival will include giant games like Jenga and Connect 4, and more food options than last year, with the Cortez Village Historical Society grilling up hot dogs and brats, cookies, and more from the Anna Maria Bake House and frozen treats by Kona Ice.

Inside the museum, visitors will experience a special meet and greet with Santa. Local non-profits, including Friends of the Florida Maritime Museum, Crystal River Boat Builders, Manatee River Pram Fleet, Cortez Village Historical Society, and Soar in 4 (a community initiative facilitated by non-profits Manatee Education Foundation and Manatee Community Foundation) will also be on-site with fun activities, nautical demonstrations and lots of freebies. Make-and-take crafts, and performances by local elementary students will round out the fun and free offerings.

“As a Manatee County-owned historic site and a Manatee Clerk-run museum, the Florida Maritime Museum is free all year to help educate and enrich the lives of residents and visitors--but there are still so many locals who don’t know we exist,” says Tori Chasey, Supervisor of the Florida Maritime Museum. “We see this event not only as a way to get our name out there, but also as a gift to the community that supports us. There are so many events where admission might be free, but you have to pay to park, pay to play a game, and pay for an armband for the bounce house. It’s not that we don’t like to support those events, especially when they are fundraisers for great organizations, but this time of year it can be particularly hard for families when all those costs add up. I have been that parent going through hard times who decides to take their kids to a free festival, only to hope that the kids don’t notice the bounce houses or the games because I can’t afford them. Christmas in Cortez is supposed to be the opposite of that, where all of the activities are free. We created this festival as a gift to our community and we’re really trying to keep that in mind with each step of the event planning.”

Event parking is free at the F.I.S.H. Preserve located at Cortez Road and 116th Street (directly east of FMM). There will be no parking of any kind available on-site at the museum. The museum will be closed on Thursday and Friday, December 8th and 9th, while the elves make their final preparations; Saturday the museum will be open only during event hours.

“We couldn’t pull this off without sponsorships through the Friends of the Florida Maritime Museum.” adds Chasey. “We wish to thank our 2022 Christmas in Cortez sponsors the Bradenton Herald, Sweet Sparkman Architecture and Interiors, the Florida Institute for Saltwater Heritage as well as our Platinum sponsors Chiles Hospitality and the AMI Islander.”

The Florida Maritime Museum, 4415 119th Street West in the historic fishing village of Cortez. 

Pictured: A behind-the-scenes photo of the Florida Maritime Museum crew, taken after they just finished testing out their new face painting supplies. Photo courtesy of FMM.

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